They also showed details of mortgages, council tax and utility bills. Almost no receipt is too small to be claimed – Mr Brown even received £15 for light bulbs.

Similar information is due to be released for all 646 MPs after they lost their bid to keep it secret.

But MPs believe they could bring a challenge against the release of some details under the European Convention on Human Rights, which is incorporated in British law under the Human Rights Act.

The move could delay publication by months or even years, and could result in a bizarre situation where British MPs are appealing to a European court to seek protection from freedom of information laws they passed themselves.

Tory MP Julian Lewis, whose call to block the release of MPs’ addresses has attracted the support of 100 MPs in two days, said it was “absolutely insane” to release details that could place MPs at risk of attack.

Dr Lewis said: “I have put my head above the parapet and I will challenge this right up to the highest court.

“It is nonsense to suggest this is some sort of cover-up. There are real security concerns. I have no problem with people looking at my expenses but releasing addresses is absolutely insane.”

Another MP said they were worried that publishing addresses would be a “burglar’s charter”, which could also leave them open to attack from disgruntled constituents and terrorists.

One member of the administration committee described the handling of the affair by the Commons authorities as “utterly cack-handed”.

Some campaigners say addresses should be made public following the case of former Tory MP Michael Trend who claimed thousands of pounds in expenses on a house he did not have.

MPs receive £90million a year in expenses. Claims include a £23,000-a-year second homes allowance, which can go on food, furniture, bills and mortgage payments.